THE latest in a series of fires at a derelict mansion in Guildford is being treated as suspicious.

Surrey Fire and Rescue Service was called to Tangley Place, Worplesdon Road, just after 8.20pm last Tuesday.

A spokesman said: “The building was well alight but we saved it. We were there for about three hours. It was already damaged from previous fires and we’ve got it [the cause] down as suspicious.”

Tuesday’s fire was the seventh at the house since 2001. The first blaze caused £500,000 of damage and was started days after Guildford Borough Council blocked a bid to demolish the building and build offices on the site.

Last August, the council also refused permission for a 70-bedroom residential care home on the land.